National Weather Service Confirms 3 Tornadoes Hit Maryland

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The National Weather Service confirmed three tornadoes did touch down in Maryland this weekend. Frederick and Carroll Counties were hardest hit. An EF-1 tornado touched down in New Market and two EF-0 storms hit Union Mills and Mount Airy.

Mike Hellgren reports millions of people were affected when those frightening storms tore through much of the U.S., including Maryland.

Major damage that was left behind by the storms could be seen all over Carroll County. One tree was sheered off and the tree went down on the power line.

WJZ saw the power of the storm first-hand. They took trees and snapped them like toothpicks. Two dumpsters were filled with debris in Mount Airy.

The National Weather Service confirmed three tornadoes touched down in Maryland. A fast-moving spring storm spawned them all. The strongest was an EF-1 with winds up to 100 miles an hour.

“That pine tree landed on top of the house,” said Stanley Boll.

Some of the worst damage is at the Linganore Winery, where they’re still cleaning up.

“It really gives you a completely different sense of how small you are,” said Anthony Aellen, winery president.

“It was sort of a greenish color, which we’ve seen before with tornadoes,” said Jim Fogg. “I knew then we needed to take cover.”

Now power crews are working to get the lights back on while those with property damage work to get it cleaned up before the next storm.

“People have that expression, it’s like a tornado came through here. Well, it looks like a tornado came through here because it did,” said Aellen.

Another danger from this is rising water. On the banks of the Potomac, 14 Boy Scouts had to be rescued after they became trapped at their campsite. Fire and rescue teams used boats to get them safely to dry land.

“It’s really incredible. I’ve never experienced anything like this and we’ve been here since 1972,” Aellen said.

Right now, BGE has about 130 customers without power. Nobody in Maryland was hurt or killed.

Mike Hellgren

WJZ general assignment reporter Mike Hellgren came to Maryland's News Station in the spring of 2004 from KARK-TV, an NBC affiliate station in Little Rock, Arkansas where he worked as a general assignment reporter, as well as fill-in anchor. Solid...